Drew Barrymore knows how to Whip It!

We love Drew Barrymore on screen, but she proved she's just as good behind the camera with Whip It!, a go-girl coming of age comedy. We went straight to Drew for the story behind the flick (available now on DVD).

On the best part of her directorial debut: “Just being able to convey my own human heart into a cinematic venue. I just wanted to talk about family and life and love and friendship, and trying to find your way into empowerment in life in a way that’s also fun and funny. For me, it’s just really trying to express myself into a film.”

On a cast that became a family: “If you’re trying to convey a family, it’s really good and healthy if you can create a family in the working environment so that that chemistry is really authentic and true. Everybody was just like a great little family and it doesn’t always work that way–you can hope for that, but it may not happen. But it did in this case which was just magical.”

On her character, Smashley Simpson: “She got knocked down but she was more of the ‘if you mess with me I’m going to punch you and take you down and draw a fight with you and wrestle you’. I considered her a hippie with anger issues. So I didn’t exactly mean her to be the biggest klutz, but I didn’t mean her to come across as the best skater either.”

On learning to skate: “Everyone had one
month, solid six days a week of training before we started filming. Like at
derby camp. I feel very adamant about people being able to do their own stunts because that’s authentic and you can see that on screen. It helps to create chemistry and friendships because everybody’s going through this very strenuous and wonderful new set of skills they’re trying to learn, and they do it together so it’s fun. You get hurt together and you root each other on when you learn something new and you get better. That’s just such a wonderful bonding thing.”

On choosing roles that are physically and emotionally powerful: “We all have moments of weakness and confusion
and doubt in life, and I like studying those emotions in
film. I do think the group of people that you’re with is your support
system and they guide you and teach you and you can laugh with them, and it’s
why I said this film is a ‘find your tribe’ thing. I just believe in that. I
believe that we all have these big powerful emotions, but if we let them get the
best of us then we’re not being proactive. The people I’m drawn to are those people that want to take care of each
other, who have each other’s back and know we’re not in this alone but we have
to also take care of ourselves and all things are possible. I never want
to convey the message that I don’t believe you can accomplish the things
and goals that you want to accomplish whether that’s personally,
professionally, being a good friend, or saving yourself, being able to laugh. I
know they’re possible, I believe in them. I guess I’m just more interested in
telling those stories–and it doesn’t have to be in a heavy-handed,
self-congratulatory, boring way. It can be fun and make you feel great
afterwards and make you want to go out and celebrate with your friends.I hate the heaviness. There’s plenty of
it to go around. So, again, I like doing it with that sense of levity.”

On directing again: “It’s not a fluke that it happened. I worked my whole life towards this goal. It was not a whim. And I really look forward to the next thing that I do. I’m looking for something that’s personal to me. Even if it’s completely different than I felt the way I did about this.”

On Valentine’s Day: “I don’t really think about it very much other than just to
be with the people you love. I don’t think I’ve ever done that really
conventional romantic thing. I like being with my friends and having a fun
time. I feel so bad when that holiday makes people feel really bad, it’s not
fair.”